Japanese PM Kishida’s visit to New Delhi has the potential to open new vistas in bilateral ties

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to New Delhi Monday is important not just from the perspective of bilateral relations covering a gamut of spheres but also a critical signal it sends to the big bullies in the international arena: democracies are joining hands like never before. The two nations are discussing a raft of issues, ranging from defence and security to trade, investment, and technology. Committing themselves to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Kishida vowed to expand the India-Japan global strategic partnership. This century has seen the deepening and broadening of the bilateral ties, which became ‘Global Partnership’ in 2000, ‘Strategic and Global Partnership’ in 2006, and ‘Special Strategic and Global Partnership in 2014. This is of great importance against the backdrop of China’s bellicosity in the region. It is serendipitous that India’s presidency of G20 coincides with Japan’s presidency of the G7. It needs to be mentioned here that Kishida has been striving to bring the rich and poor nations of the world together. In his address to the Japanese Parliament earlier this year, he revived the term Global South. This was a favorite of the votaries of non-alignment, used to depict and highlight the North-South conflicts. But the Japanese Prime Minister resuscitated just the term, not the idea that it connoted to the pinkish non-alignment enthusiasts. He doesn’t seem to be an admirer of Nehruvian principles in international matters; he would not like to act as the trade union leader of poor nations and fight against rich countries; indeed he comes from a rich country. He wants to unite all countries, rich as well as poor, for a rules-based international order.

Kishida is following the late prime minister Shinzo Abe’s foreign policy, which has been called “panoramic diplomacy.” It has been officially described as a “diplomacy that takes a panoramic perspective of the terrestrial globe.” Gone are the days of Tokyo’s pacifism. A quarter of a century ago, when India carried out nuclear explosions, Tokyo condemned New Delhi. Today, however, Japan sees an ally in India in the eventuality of a conflict with China; it is arming itself. Japan’s role in strengthening the Quad is critical. It is a measure of growing proximity between the two nations that Modi and Kishida met three times in 2022. Along with defence and security cooperation between the two Asian democracies, trade is also growing. Last year, the bilateral trade was $20.75 billion, the largest ever. The two countries signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement or CEPA in 2011. Now both sides emphasise reliable supply chains for semiconductors and other critical technologies. A year ago, Kishida had promised a Rs 320,000-crore investment target in India in five years. This may be the time to redeem the old promise — and make new ones. The same is true for India.